French food comes from a country that exhibits an unabashed joy in cooking and eating. French cooks and chefs like nothing more than to share their passion for cooking with anyone interested in learning. The now deceased Julia Child brought French cooking to the American masses via cookbooks and television. Often thought of as haute cuisine, French food is not always the sophisticated fare of upscale restaurants. It can be rustic, homely, and just as wonderful as fine French food. What is French food? Dig a little deeper and discover what lies beneath the passion for French food.

Famous French Food

Certain foods have become mainstream offerings in the United States thanks to the likes of Julia Child, American’s penchant for travel and the opportunities that people have to travel throughout the world. French fries are not really French, but come from Belgium, which borders France to the north. Croissants, omelets and café au lait comprise the famous French breakfast foods that found their way to American tables, although, the French seldom eat omelets for breakfast. Before leaving breakfast food behind enjoy eggs Benedict with a creamy hollandaise sauce dripping on the plate.

Eggs, cheese, and milk form the base of a vast array of famous French food. Au gratin, a French word, means any dish with something grated over the top. Americans create au gratin with cheese and buttered bread cubes layered over a dish and then browned in the oven. Potatoes au gratin, squash au gratin, or just about any vegetable can be dressed up with au gratin. Eggs star in soufflés, those rising miracles of whipped goodness.

French cooks love their sauces. The familiarity with Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, roux, béarnaise sauce, hollandaise sauce, and béchamel all made their way from across the ocean to be loved and created by American cooks and chefs for spectacular dishes.

When it comes to the meat and fish food group, the French brought to America bouillabaisse, a rich fish stew or soup served with crusty bread that makes the palate sing. Escargot sitting in a succulent sauce is a pleasure to be savored. From the tenderest part of beef comes chateaubriand and filet mignon. In the United States, filet mignon means a thick steak from the most tender part of beef where in France it refers to a tender and expensive cut from pork. Chicken cordon bleu graces many tables as a classic entrée. Enter the hors d’oeuvres with pate de foie gras, a velvety smooth paste of goose livers served with toast triangles or a crusty slice of a hearty bread.

The sweet taste of crème brulée or the exquisite deliciousness of a chocolate éclair comes by way of France. Americans embrace the sweet endings or beginnings depending on the time of day with a French twist. Crepe Suzette, chocolate mousse, meringues, the classic French shell-shaped Madeleine cookies, and tarte tartin with sliced caramelized apples in a puff pastry fulfill the need for self-indulgence once in awhile.

Finally, the drink of the French resounds in one word, wine. While other drinks, such as mineral water, and coffee are just as popular, the French provided the world with champagne bubbles that delight the senses and fabulous tastes of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Beaujolais.

Classic French Cuisine

When thinking about French food, haute cuisine comes to mind. The word haute cuisine literally means high or grand cooking in the French language. Classic French cooking began in the 17th century with the creation of moussellines, which are a group of sauces one of which is hollandaise or molded dishes such as aspics and mousse, soufflés, and cooking with a mixture of vegetables or macedoines. The culinary discipline became a fine art through chefs like Antoine Carêm and the world renowned Georges Auguste Escoffier.

Sauces and pastries, along with fresh ingredients of meats, vegetables, fruit, spices, and herbs combine to create the basis of classic French food.

Nouvelle Cuisine

Nouvelle cuisine is a descendant of classic French cooking. Sauces still remain, but in a lighter, fresher version of the original heavy ones. Less complex than haute cuisine, nouvelle takes a more simplistic approach to French food. Steamed vegetables became the vogue and recipes were developed with a return to regional favorites as a base.

About French Food

While the chefs and upscale restaurants continue to evolve French cooking, the heart of French food begins at home. Authentic French food comes from each region of France and each region claims its specialties, but the coming back to the basics of life is French food at its best. Geographically divide France into regional cuisines and each area creates dishes from what is produced in that region.

In Ile-de-France, butter and cream based sauces reign supreme. Travel to Alsaceto discover German influenced sauerkraut, goose and pate along with sausage. A journey to Burgundyand Lyons delights the taste buds with rich desserts. A tour of French food keeps the palate guessing and the stomach full.

French bread begins the day and is served at every meal. Long loaves of French bread called pain sell for a song with crispy crusts and tender interiors. Brioche, baguettes, and croissants comprise the delicious breads of France. Each region presents its own bread as the best.

France loves its cheeses. From Brie served with fresh fruit, to Camembert developed to taste just right, French cheeses are a slice above the rest. Eat French cheese at room temperature and try to keep it cool without refrigerating.

French markets offer an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, breads, cheese, fresh herbs and spices, and all manner of ingredients for preparing a gastronomical feast. In order to mirror the fresh taste of French cooking, seek out the freshest ingredients and use a light hand when creating sauces.

A typical French meal begins with hot hors d’oeuvre for dinner or cold for lunch.

The next course consists of soup, followed by the main course. While in the United States, we eat salad before the main course, in France it comes after. Cheese and fresh fruit often end the meal, except on special occasions when a dessert with black coffee contributes to the overall experience.

What would French food be without French wine? Using an appropriate wine for each dinner course turns a meal into an eating experience. In order to emulate a French meal, it is necessary to know which wine to serve. Study and research will answer the questions beyond white wine with fish and poultry and red wine with beef, pork, and lamb, however, even this wine rule of thumb is changing with the times.

A country’s food develops from social and political changes that take place over hundreds of years. Food and the culinary arts are not static. As life changes and moves forward, chefs and cooks concoct new dishes to make life better, easier, healthier, and tastier. French food started out as a means of sustenance, moved forward with the Roman Empire, and took off during the 17th century. Great chefs tweaked recipes, made changes and landed in the history books. Take a class and learn how to cook French food or just experiment with a French cookbook in the kitchen. Above all else find “joi de vivre,” a joy for living in cooking and eating.

How Much Do You Know About Food?

You know that brownies taste better when they're just out of the oven and that cranberry sauce will taste bitter if you don't add enough sugar. But do you know who invented the brownie or how to select the ripest cranberries? Aside from knowing which foods you love to curl up with, how much do really know about the history and fun facts of your favorite foods? Find out now.